The more language versions we have, the larger the market we can cover with the online store.
Every online store wants to reach a wider audience of customers, so you must ensure that customers have access to multiple language versions of the online store, which can cover various language groups. However, you should be aware that adding additional languages can involve a lot of work in terms of translating descriptions of all products, elements of the online store, and individual subpages (terms and conditions, etc.). It's crucial to initially set up your online store in one language and then gradually add other languages. During the initial setup, you may encounter limitations or have better ideas for the display, which could require changes, removals, or additions of text.
When adding a new language, take care of the technical side too. Each language version should have its own web address (a domain, subdomain or folder, for example /en/), and hreflang tags tell search engines which version is meant for which reader. Machine translation can be a good draft, but a human must review it, otherwise you will lose readers' trust. Offer your terms and conditions and legal information in the language in which you advertise the store.
It is also good to know that the EU Geo-blocking Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2018/302) prohibits you from blocking a customer from another EU country because of nationality or place of residence, redirecting them to another version of the store without their consent, or applying different general conditions of access to goods. You do not have to deliver to every country, but the customer must be able to collect the goods at a place you deliver to, or arrange their delivery there themselves. Check the rules in your country too. More: Online store legislation in the EU.
Once you have separate pages and the website is organized in different languages, you must adapt the content of the website to each language version. This means highlighting different products and categories and appropriately rephrasing existing texts. For example, because of different climates, an online shoe store would find it challenging to sell the same shoes in Sicily and in Sweden at the same time of year, and even harder in the southern hemisphere, where the seasons are reversed. Additionally, delivery costs may vary in more distant countries, so you need to display delivery information differently and activate different promotions. The seasonality of products is influenced by various factors, such as demographics, customs, and habits, in addition to the time of year.
Frequently asked questions
If you sell in foreign markets - absolutely. Buyers strongly prefer purchasing in their own language; in a foreign language they leave the site much faster. Even a translation into one additional language (e.g. English) can open access to more buyers.
Magento has a built-in multistore system - each language store has its own URL domain or path, its own interface translations, and category and product content translations. Interface translation is faster; content translation requires manual or machine translation.
For basic understanding yes, for professional presentation not entirely. AI translations (DeepL, Google Translate, Claude) are a good starting point, but need proofreading - especially for technical descriptions, calls to action, and titles.
With separate URLs (e.g. domain.eu for English and domain.si for Slovenian, or a /en/ folder) and hreflang tags that tell Google which version is for which language and region. This is key for correct ranking in local search engines.
English is the foundation for international reach. For neighboring markets, Croatian, Serbian, or Bosnian are also useful. German opens the Austrian and German market. Priority is determined based on your existing customers and target markets.
My name is Anže, I am a certified Magento solution expert and the maker of several award-winning online stores. I am the architect of all Degriz projects.
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